The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-03-16
ANOTHER RAILROAD HORROR.
Thirty-Two Persons Killed and Sew
enty Injured Near Boston-Men
and Women Crushed to
ShapeleSs Masses.


BosroN. March 14.-0ne ofthe most shock
ing accidents in the history of New England
railroading occurred this morning al the
Bussey PARK Bridge, between Forest Hill and
RossIindale. on the Dedham branch of the
Boston and Providence line. The branch
leaves the main line about mile from ia
maica Plain and sweeps around curve up
on a high emhankment on the side of the
which is in deep cut.
The train leaving Dedham at 7:05 and due
here at 7;40, was filled with persons coming
10 work, among them a number of girls. 1t
was composed of eight cars. The first three
passed over safely, but the bridge gave way
under the other five, which drew the first
three after them, as they crashed down upon
the street. distance of 30 feet
The engineer as soon a. the engine broke
from the train. seeing what had happened
turned on steam and flew over the road To
Forest Hill and gave the alarm. Meanwhile
the noise of the crash drew the attention of
every one near, who rushed to the scene. In
a little while il was crowded. The fire de
partment was called upon to prevent the
burning Of the unhappy people who were
buried in the heap, which the wrecked ears
formed. one car took fire, but it was quick
ly extinguished.
THE DEATH ROLL.
As it is the loss of life Is probably as great
as that in the White River disaster. The
exact number of victims is not yet known,
but - persons are known to have been kill
sl and a; least 70 injured, many fatally.
A. soon as the nature of the disaster was
known doctors and ambuances We're sent
for in every direction and many soon arriv-
ed. Their services were put in execution at
once as the dead and wounded were taken
out Most of the dead and those Of the in
jured who were able 10 be moved were sent
To Roslindale or Dedham.
The train was in charge of Conductor Til
den. who met a terrible death Hewa> found
on the bank with one leg literally torn off;
hi abdomen separated, and bowels protrud-
ing He was otherwise badly manged lie
died few moments after being found
The ears were all well filled and the seats
of the destroyed cars were 50 occupied that
il was for long time impossible to ascertain
who was killed and who was saved. The
terrible fall bad resulted in manEling bodies
beyond recognition aud had actually cut in
pieces men and women.
In one place seven bodies taken ont were
placed in a row All were badly mangled
one women was cut completely in two. the
upper half only being found Two men who
were saved had their faces hacked and the
lips of one were cut of. pathetic sight
was that of Two girls with arms around one
another in the embrace of death, they having
been killed by blows upon the head
At first all attention was given 10 the
wounded, the dead being left in the wreck.
The wounds of nearly all those who were
not killed instantly were Of the most painful
character, and the air was filed with their
agonizing cries.
DEAD AND DYING.
When j. H. Lennon, a fish dealer, who
was first on the ground, arrived, cries and
groans were coming from all parts of the
awful heap Bruised and wounded people
were crawling out from all sides. He found
au axe and climbed upon the third car that
Law IN the trench the Others being beneath
H. The cries Of the injured came most from
this ear, he thought He crawled through
window aud went 10 work \ woman first
demanded his attention. she was pinned
down by the feet and two seats and the body
of man lay on top of her. The body and
seats were soon got out ofthe way Work
ing on the wood and iron that held her down
caused her 10 scream with fresh agony, and
it was some moments before she was freed
Iannon dragged her to a window, and two
men, james McClaren and Cronan, helped
him lift her out. Four men. three of them
dead were t. ken from this ear by these three
men, BY this time the firemen had arrived,
and they, with the uniniured from the wreck
were hard AT work first rescuing the i'm
prisoned o-rs who were injured and after
ward were employed in the more difficult
task ofdigging out the dead from the shape
less tangle of debris.
In one of the forward cars and among the
first passengers to be taken out was young
woman whose name has not Vet been ascer-
tained. and whose death was the most shock
ing of any of the passengers. Whon ingresS
was obtained 10 the smashed car ami when
the spintered timbcrs had been sufficiently
removed to allow of any work upon the
wreck, about the first body reached was that
of this unfortunate woman. who was pinned
down in the car with the face jammed be-
tween two sll> and in the most shocking
condition That she was alive seemed doubt
full still the body was moved, when to the
terror of her rescuers. il was found that the
head and one arm were severed from the
body aS though done by knife Covered
with tine rubbish of the wreck, as she lay
there. no possible Identification of the re-
mains could be made and after fruitless at
tempts to remove her with their hands the
reScuers obtained saws and jackscrews. and
after much hard work succeeded in extrica
ting all that remained of the woman, who
but 4 moment before was full of life hope
and ambition. The body was the first re-
covered then the mutilated and unrecogniz-
able head, and finally the arm. Tenderly
the remains were covered. and soon after re-
moved to Forest Hill. and later taken to the
city morgue
Another woman lay crampcd between two
car seats. with life extinct Not mark ap-
peared upon her body to indicate how death
approached Extended, with arms pushed
forward as though endeavoring To ward off
the crashing timbers which fell about, but
did not touch her she lay there As calm ap-
parently a. though in sleep But the awful
position in which the body lay left no doubt
but that in the upheaval of the overturning
car the woman became wedged between the
seats and her young life SLOWLY crushed
from the frai body. 1t was an awful sight
The majority of the passengers in the cars
which plunged to death were women. all
young. happy, hopeful creatures. whose tiny
satchels with carefully prepared lunches
told patheticilly a. no words possibly can
the circumstances of their daily lives
A Postal Clerk I'm prisoned in His
Car.
MoUNT HOLLY. March S-An accident oc-
ton and Hightstown branch of the Pennsvl-
vania railroad at Sharon, near Hightstown.
tonight. in consequence of broken rail